


The Darkness Reigns

by TheRealBurgerKing



Category: Nctzen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Gen, It was Donghyuck's fault, Mark's vlog channel name is Dream Dad, Platonic Relationships, Their squad name is the Dreamies, also
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2020-07-11 20:50:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19934293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRealBurgerKing/pseuds/TheRealBurgerKing
Summary: When an innocent trip into a certain Dark Forest ends with dire consequences, the boys who call themselves the Dreamies will have to fight to save themselves and their loved ones.But do they really know who or what they are fighting?Will they be willing to make the sacrifices demanded of them?





	1. Chapter 1

A cold wind ruffled the hair of the seven boys standing outside the forest. Japan’s Aokigahara Forest, to be specific. The dark forest, with its trees growing close together and blocking out the sunlight, gave off a haunting feeling of unease.

Mark shifted from foot to foot, eyeing the younger boys on either side of him. It had been Donghyuck’s idea to visit the forest, and although Mark tried to discourage him, Renjun had readily agreed with his best friend. Renjun’s support was all that was needed for the other kids to get on board the idea.

So here they were. Outside Japan’s Suicide Forest. About to head in and explore without telling their older friends. How the kids managed to convince him that this was a good idea, Mark had no idea. But better that he go with them than they go alone.

Donghyuck and Renjun led the way into the forest, excitement glinting in their eyes. Jaemin and Jeno followed behind them, Jeno’s stiff shoulders giving away his nervousness. Jisung and Chenle trailed along, discussing some topic softly, heads tipped close together.

Mark sighed and resigned himself to bring up the rear. He lifted his prized handheld camera to his face and put in a new tape. Turning it on, he adjusted the focus and pressed play. “Here we are, everybody… Aokigahara… Please pray for us…”

***

The air was thick and heavy in the forest, too still to be friendly. Silence hung over the dark trees like a blanket, making it feel difficult to breathe. The young boys walking ahead were still now, speaking only in hushed voices, quieted by the forest’s oppressing atmosphere.

Mark distracted himself by recording his little brothers and the trees surrounding the trail. His camera helped to put up a wall between himself and the anxiety.

In the front, Renjun and Donghyuck were on high alert. Renjun had informed his best friend of the bad feeling he was receiving and Donghyuck was smart enough to listen. Renjun had a sort of sixth sense, so his friends respected his instincts. Renjun’s giant red jacket (which he had stolen from Jaemin months ago) was his only comfort, the only thing helping him control the thick knot of unease in his chest.

As the small group continued to steadily trudge their way into the forest, Renjun gnawed on his lip. His unease was only getting stronger.

***

An hour had passed since Renjun’s unease had begun building. By now, he had wandered ahead of the group with Chenle, which he knew was probably not a good idea. But the younger boy had wanted to speed up, and Renjun wasn’t going to let him go alone.

Meanwhile, Mark was getting tired of this place. Everything looked the same, regardless of how many turns they took, and he had already changed the tape in his camera twice. Jeno and Jaemin were a few steps ahead of him, with Jisung tucked between them, and Mark amused himself zooming into the back of their heads. Donghyuck had fallen back to walk next to Mark after Renjun had run ahead with Chenle, and the young one sighed softly. “I’m starting to understand what Renjun was feeling,” he muttered against Mark’s shoulder.

Mark didn’t respond, just patted Donghyuck’s back, when all of a sudden, Jaemin was shouting. “Renjun! Chenle! Don’t run!” Up ahead, the two Chinese boys were indeed running, as though they were charging into battle. The five Koreans left behind glanced at each other before taking off after their friends, not wanting to be left behind. As they watched, Renjun and Chenle turned the approaching corner and moved out of sight. The boys arrived at the corner seconds later, to find…

Nothing.

The trail stretched ahead in a straight line for hundreds of meters, and yet, Renjun and Chenle were nowhere to be found. There was no possible way for the two to turn another corner, no rocks or clumps of grass to hide in. Even the mud from last night’s rain on the sides of the trail had no footprints.

The pair were just gone.


	2. Capter 2

Mark took deep breaths to calm himself as the kids before him began panicking. Jaemin rushed from one side of the trail to the other, desperately yelling the missing boys’ names. Jeno chased after him, trying to get the younger to slow down. Jisung started down the trail, calling for Chenle. Donghyuck turned back to Mark, eyes fearful. Mark straightened his back and lowered his camera. “Boys! Calm down and come here!” The friends reluctantly gathered around Mark and watched him expectantly. “Okay, we have to go about this calmly. We’ll find them, don’t worry.”

Together, the boys continued down the trail, shouting for the boys. Jaemin clutched Jeno’s arm with one hand and held onto Jisung with the other. His sharp eyes flitted from tree to tree, imagining each as a monster who might have stolen his brothers. Donghyuck hung back next to Mark, each brush of their bare arms eliciting goosebumps. The group was quiet as they focused on inspecting every shadow.

It must have been an hour since the disappearance and the forest had hardly changed, every tree, every bush looking the same as the last. It was almost as though they were fruitlessly walking in circles.

Sudden cries from in front made Mark snap his head up. Jisung was slapping Jaemin’s arm and pointing ahead. Peering around him, Mark could make out a small figure sitting on a rock in the distance. The group broke into a run, charging the figure in the hope that it was actually Chenle.

The figure looked up as they approached and stretched out their hands in recognition. They had barely stopped running when Chenle (if it really was him) flung himself onto Jeno’s chest. He rubbed his face on Jeno’s t-shirt, self-comforting as he wept. “Chenle, can you tell us what happened?” Jeno cradled the boy, wiping his cheeks.

Chenle shuddered. “I don’t know; I don’t know, hyung. I just- I blinked and then I was here! I have no idea where Ge ge is..” Chenle’s words became unintelligible as he descended into sobs again.

Mark rubbed his face, camera in his chest harness humming softly. Above them, the sky was getting dark. “We can’t stay here any longer-”

He was interrupted by a tidal wave of protest from the other boys, mostly consisting of how they couldn’t leave Renjun behind.

“I know, I know. I don’t want to leave him. But we don’t have any flashlights, and if the forest is dangerous during the day, then it’s ten times worse at night. It won’t do Renjun any good if we get lost searching for him. We can get hyungs help if we get back before evening.”

The boys begrudgingly accepted his words and turned back down the trail. Chenle switched his cling partner to Jisung’s back and Jisung carried him as the group began the long trek out of the evil forest.

*** 

The silence stretched on as the bedraggled group trudged onward, heads downturned. Only one person still scanned the trees - Donghyuck’s head turned back and forth, trying to watch both sides of the trail at once. Mark didn’t comment; he was tired, so tired.

Donghyuck’s sudden scream of “Oh my god” made everyone jump out of their skin. The boys hurried to his side and followed his shaky finger pointing into the undergrowth. Somewhere near the trail, they could catch a glimpse of red. _Red cloth. Red jacket. Renjun._

With a cry of triumph, Donghyuck took off into the forest without a second thought. “Wait, Donghyuck! Don’t go in there!” Despite Mark shouting after him, Donghyuck continued to run into the shadows. Mark and Jeno took off after him, leaving Jaemin and the maknaes on the trail.

However, Donghyuck’s joyful shouts turned into a wail of grief, and Mark soon found out why.

Before them was Renjun, in his jacket that was far too big for him. The tiny boy hung from a large tree, the noose around his neck probably leaving ugly bruises on his pale skin.

Donghyuck fell to his knees, chants of “no no, god please no” falling from his lips. Jeno quickly climbed the tree’s gnarled roots, lifting Renjun’s body. Mark hurried to join him, slipping the noose from his neck quickly. Together, they lowered him to the ground and checked his vitals.

“He has a pulse, but it’s faint, so we have to hurry. Jeno, can you carry him? I’ll take Donghyuck.” Jeno nodded and gently pulled Renjun onto his back. Mark slipped his hands under Donghyuck’s arms and guided him to his feet. The trio rapidly returned to the trail and took off running, leaving a shocked Jaemin and Babies with no explanation.

The boys ran together as the edge of the forest came into view. Exiting the forest brought a rush of warmth to the skin, but none of them stopped to question. They had to get to the hospital.


End file.
